'This Old House' magazine includes Grand Rapids' Heritage Hill in its list of best 'Old House' neighborhoods

Grand Rapids Press File PhotoFrank Lloyd Wright's Meyer May House is one of Heritage Hill landmarks mentioned in "This Old House."

GRAND RAPIDS – The Heritage Hill Neighborhood is “a mecca for people who love historic American architecture,” according to the April issue of “This Old House” magazine.

After researching hundreds of cities, towns and neighborhoods, the New York-based publication included the 1,300-home historic district in its newest list of the 64 “Best Old-House Neighborhoods” in the United States.

“Surrounded by five urban colleges (including Grand Valley State and Kendall College of Art and Design), Heritage Hill is a cultural center, flourishing with artists, philanthropists, and restaurants,” the magazine said.

“You'll see everything from Italianate and Chateauesque houses to later Tudor Revivals; there's also a wealth of Greek and Colonial Revivals, Queen Annes, and even a Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie-style home,” the magazine noted.

The article also noted the historic district's legal battles in the 1960s that had an impact on preservation efforts around the country.

The magazine also noted recent foreclosure crisis has had an impact on the district's housing prices.

“Today, you can grab the former castle of a lumber baron or wealthy judge – and walk from home to work in the city's center – for what amounts to pocket change in other places.”

Heritage Hill was the only Michigan neighborhood to earn a mention in the article.